Fed cuts rates with more likely coming. What does it mean for housing?

In short: The Federal Reserve on Wednesday said it would lower its target for the federal funds rate by a quarter basis point. The Fed also forecasted two additional rate cuts this year. The move was widely anticipated, and mortgage rates aren’t likely to jump or fall much in response. The 10-year Treasury yield – which mortgage rates tend to follow – moved higher on the news.   Moving forward, the committee will continue reducing its holdings of Treasury securities and agency debt and agency mortgage‑backed securities. Reduced Fed demand for mortgage-backed securities will limit how far mortgage rates fall from here. What’s next for mortgage rates?  With financial markets anticipating a more rapid easing of monetary policy than the Federal Reserve is likely to deliver, mortgage rates aren’t likely to fall much further.  The Federal Open Market Committee anticipates the Fed funds rate reaching the 3.25-3.5% range before 2027. That’s slower than financial markets had anticipated; they projected a rapid decline to…

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Fed cuts rates with more likely coming. What does it mean for housing?
new jersey best realtor richard choi

Homebuyers Have Been Retreating. Now Sellers Are Too.

There are an estimated 1.43 million homebuyers in the U.S. housing market—the lowest level in records dating back to 2013 aside from the start of the pandemic. That’s making sellers skittish; the number of sellers has dipped by roughly 14,000 since May, falling for the first time in two years. Still, there are 36% more sellers than buyers—the largest gap in records dating back to 2013. That means buyers hold the cards in most markets, especially Texas and Florida. There are only five remaining seller’s markets. The good news? Mortgage rates have been falling recently, which could bring some buyers and sellers back to the market. The U.S. housing market has lost about 14,000 home sellers over the past two months, with the total number of sellers falling to 1.95 million in July from a peak of 1.96 million in May. This marks the first decline since July 2023, when the supply of homes for sale bottomed out near a historic…

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Homebuyers Have Been Retreating. Now Sellers Are Too.
뉴욕 뉴저지 부동산 Richard Choi

U.S. 30-Year Mortgage Rates Hit 10-Month Low — Is the Housing Market Catching Its Breath?

Rates Fall for 4 Straight Weeks to 6.58%, Boosting Buyer Confidence and Driving a Surge in Refinancing Applications The average interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages in the United States has fallen to its lowest level in 10 months, raising hopes of breathing new life into the sluggish housing market. Freddie Mac, a leading mortgage lender, announced on Thursday that the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped to 6.58% this week, down from 6.63% last week. This marks the lowest rate since October 24 of last year (6.54%) and the fourth consecutive week of decline. The rate for the 15-year fixed mortgage, which many homeowners prefer when refinancing, also edged down from 5.75% last week to 5.71% this week. Mortgage rates began to climb sharply in early 2022 as the era of ultra-low rates during the pandemic came to an end, pushing the U.S. housing market into a prolonged sales slump. Last year, home sales dropped to their lowest level in…

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U.S. 30-Year Mortgage Rates Hit 10-Month Low — Is the Housing Market Catching Its Breath?
New Jersey Best Realtor Richard Choi